Swim Lessons Part 2 : fun, medals, and relays

  

The girls finished up swim lessons last week.  The last day was a water fun day complete with games, flips, and relays for the older group.  Here are some pictures and videos from the last day.  As you can tell, swim lessons was a huge success this year for both girls!! 

 

Janey jumping through the hoop

Everyone doing jumps off the floating platform

MV taking a turn diving through the hoop

Coach Mary giving Janey her medal

Mary Varner getting her medal

Mary Varner is all smiles( she loves her so much) with Coach Mary.  Coach Mary although sad to not have MV next year, agrees that she is ready to graduate out of swim lessons.

 

This is Coach Mel (a.k.a. Coach Watermelon to the kids).  Janey really loved Coach "Watermelon" this year



Our little swimmers

 

Video 1: Janey jumping through hoop and swimming back to the side of the pool

 

 

Video 2:  Mary Varner swimming the length of the pool during her leg of the relay

 

Video 3:  Coach Mary flipping Janey into the air and Janey swimming back to the side

 

 

 

 

Video 4: Mary Varner (closest to us) competing in another relay

Art Camp Day 2 and 3

  Mary Varner finished up her art camp this morning.  She was very excited to find out that the art studio were she had the camp has "open studio" on Fridays throughout the summer.  She can go any Friday, and pick a project to do.  She informed me on the way home that she really wants to have her birthday party (invite a few friends) at the art studio, and that she will need to go to open studio one Friday to do a project for Jim (she did not get to do him one this week).  We are so excited that she loved it so much, and we get the added bonus of adding her masterpieces to our house decor. 

 

 

Project #2- She made this wooden "Beach Baby" dog for my birthday gift! 

Project 3- a googly eyed cupcake canvas painting for Janey

 

Project 3- a vinyl mat for Oscar to put his bowls on.  She decided instead of "ar" at the end of his name that "er" worked better!  The instructor at the art camp made a point to let me know that she did not help Mary Varner with any of the actual painting.  She showed her examples of the projects and MV did her own version all by herself!!

 

Art Camp

Mary Varner is attending a three day morning art camp this week.   They sent home a flyer the last day of school about this pet themed art camp that was being offered at a local art studio/gift shop.  Mary Varner loves art, and loves animals so I knew that she would enjoy this mini-camp.  Yesterday was her first morning, and they painted this cute whimsical dog on canvas.  The instructor said that today they would paint on wood, and then on Thursday they would paint something on a vinyl mat.  Mary Varner is loving every minute of it, and has already asked if she could sign up for additional classes( we have conflicts with all the other camps though).  The instructor did tell me yesterday when I picked up that Mary Varner really has a talent for art, and that she caught onto the techniques very quickly.  Jim and I are very impressed with her dog painting (she named her Lady), and Mary Varner is very proud of the fact that she did the entire painting all by herself!!

Father's Day

 

Having fun on Father's Day!!

 

Swim Lessons

Mary Varner and Janey started swim lessons last week.  This is Mary Varner's second year in the sharks group (6-8 yr. olds), and Janey's second year in the penguin group (3-5 yr.olds).  Mary Varner already knows how to swim, but wanted to take lessons again this year to work on some of the different types of strokes.  Janey  has really taken off this year, and is doing fantastic!!  She actually told the coaches the other day that she wanted to swim by herself without them helping her!  Both girls are really enjoying lessons.  Mary Varner informed me the other day that she thinks this will be her last year (I agree) because she already knows how to do all the things that they are doing.  Maybe we will check into a Jr. swim team type thing next summer for her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JE Recital

MV recital

Ballet Recital

 

Mary Varner and Janey had their ballet recital yesterday.  This was Janey's first recital, and Mary Varner's third.  Both girls were very excited, and they had  great performances. 

 

 

Mary Varner and her Ballet 1 class.  These girls really formed great friendships this year in class.

Mary Varner practicing her ballet pose during dress rehearsal

 

 

Mary Varner with her stage eyes.  She was very excited about getting to have stage eyes done for rehearsal and during the recital. Janey's group, the pre-dancers, did not have to go to rehearsal.  She was very upset that sissy got to practice on stage and she did not.

Janey and Mary Varner back stage and ready for the recital

Janey was all smiles when I left her backstage to go join Jim, B'B', Grandaddy, and Nana in the audience.  She did get upset (I found out at intermission when I went to get her) when Mary Varner had to leave her to go with her group to dance.  Apparently, the director's daughter comforted her until Mary Varner was finished.  She seemed very happy to us when she got on stage to perform, so I guess she was not too traumatized by the incident.

 

sweet friends from church

Family photo after the recital.  I did not realize that my wedge heels made me look that much taller than Jim.  We are the exact same height so whatever size heal I wear then I am that much taller than him.

 

 

Friends

Our good friends, the Fann family are moving in a couple of weeks(military).  We had a swimming and cook out farewell party for them with some other families.  Here is the group picture we took at the cookout.  We have been very blessed these last couple of years with these sweet friends, and wish them well in their next assignment.

sprinkler and snow cones

 

The next to last day of school was Mary Varner's sprinkler/snow cone end of the year party.  Janey and I  joined the fun, and had a great time with her sweet class!

 

 

Enjoying some snow cones before heading to the sprinklers!

The school turned on the back half of the playgrounds sprinkler system, and the kids had a blast playing in them.

Janey did not jump into the action as quickly as I expected.  I think she was a little overwhelmed with all the activity and "big" kids. Mary Varner did come and take her by the hand to give her comfort, and introduce her to some of her friends

Mary Varner absolutely loved/loves her teacher Mrs. Runyon.  She actually cried the night before the last day of school because she was so sad that school was going to be out for the summer.  Also, Mrs. Runyon is moving this summer and that made MV especially sad because she knew she would not see her when school started back in August.  We got Mrs. Runyon's new address, and Mary Varner has already written her a letter this weekend (even though Mrs. Runyon does not move until the end of June).  To say that Mary Varner enjoyed kindergarten and school is an understatement, and we are very excited to see what next year has in store for her.

Last day

 

New Bike

Mary Varner got a new bike this week.  We have been talking about the possibility of getting her a new one for a few weeks.  We raised the seat and handlebars of her old one as far as we could, and her knees were still rubbing the handlebars.  The original plan was to get her a new bike for her birthday, but instead we decided that she really needed a bigger bike to ride this summer.

She went from a 16" to a 20" because the next step was a 24" and that was way too big. She picked this one because she said the color of it reminds her of the beach.

Taking a spin in the driveway for her first ride.

Janey on her bike too....she was so excited about sissy getting a new bike!